As the summer travel season heats up, Uber has published its annual Lost and Found Index. Over the years, the company has shared some of the unusual items left behind by travelers. Even though that list of questionable items brought a few chuckles, the reality is that people can be forgetful, distracted or maybe they just thought better of really needing that moose painting. No matter the reasoning, it appears that people are becoming even more forgetful.
While much will be said about the most curious items, the most forgetful cities and even the most likely day of the week to leave something behind, there is a bigger statement in this year’s survey. People aren’t keeping up with their stuff. Even if those “tags” can track lost items, maybe people need something more tangible. Grandma used to wear her glasses tethered to her neck. Maybe that lanyard style clip could come back in fashion.
According to Lexi Levin Mitchel, Senior Consumer Communications Manager at Uber, “With a busy summer of travel around the corner for so many, and with Mercury in retrograde influencing forgetfulness, we’re back with Uber’s annual Lost & Found Index. From a Billie Eilish ukulele and a Bernie Sanders fanny pack to a live pet tortoise and 40 chicken nuggets, folks have been more forgetful than ever this year. As the world continues to get going again, we look forward to helping return these lost items – no matter how unique they might be.”
Now, no one should leave behind their pet tortoise. It would take forever for that little guy to walk home. As for the chicken nuggets, maybe it was a late-night snack, and the guest lost their appetite. Although no one will really know the reason why these items were left behind, the list will give people a laugh or two.
But, leaving items behind in an Uber isn’t a great idea. While the company always looks to reunite the lost items with their owners, the drivers need a little appreciation, too. No one really needs to care for a bucket of slime, 10 pounds of hamburger meat or that metal leg. Just think about the next guest in that car.
Beyond the questionable items on the list, the biggest takeaway is that Austin, Texas still tops the most forgetful list. While the city might like to keep it weird, the forgetful designation doesn’t necessarily need to be part of the charm. Maybe the drivers need to have a pre-recorded phrase that says please remember to take your foldable unicorn chair with you.
What do you think of this year’s Uber Lost and Found Index? Have you left anything unusual in an Uber?